Society
Of The Divine Word

Held from June 17 to 20 at the Centro Ad Gentes in Nemi, near Rome, the seminar revolved around the theme: “Missionary Institutes and Synodality: Charism, Prophecy, and Witness.” 

Organized by SEDOS (Service of Documentation and Study on Global Mission), the gathering became a vibrant space for dialogue, prayer, and prophetic reflection.

“This gathering was more than a meeting—it was an embodied experience of the Church’s international and intercultural richness,” said Sr. Mary Barron, OLA, President of SEDOS. “It was a sign that unity in diversity is not only possible but deeply fruitful.”

Over four days of communal listening, discernment, and creative exchange, participants explored how missionary institutes can respond to today’s challenges—conflicts, ecological devastation, poverty, and migration—through lives rooted in Gospel values, prophetic courage, and the synodal spirit of walking together.

In a collective message, delegates echoed Pope Leo XIV’s recent appeal for global peace:
“Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just, and lasting peace as soon as possible.” They called on world leaders to wield power not to destroy but to reconcile, not to kill but to protect life.

A significant moment of the seminar was the keynote address by Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect for the Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches at the Dicastery for Evangelization. 

He encouraged missionaries to remain deeply grounded in witness while engaging creatively with emerging realities.

Sr. Nirmala Nazareth, Superior General of the Apostolic Carmel and President of the Conference of Religious Women in India, emphasized the urgent need for prophetic voices: “Stand for truth, even when it hurts. The prophetic voice must rise from both the Church and society, especially in today’s fractured world.”

Fr. John Paul Herman, SVD, Executive Director of SEDOS, concluded with a call to missionary hope:

“We pray that the Church may increasingly become a bridge of unity and healing for humanity and all of God’s creation. May our mission always reflect God’s tender mercy.”

The seminar also marked SEDOS’s enduring commitment to its founding vision. Established in 1964 by nine Superior Generals during the Second Vatican Council, SEDOS continues to be a global hub for reflection on mission, currently encompassing 83 missionary congregations and affiliated with the Dicastery for Evangelization.

In a special audience on June 11, just days before the seminar, Pope Leo XIV welcomed SEDOS delegates to the Vatican, affirming their vital contribution to the Church’s missionary journey.

Through research, dialogue, and formation, SEDOS remains dedicated to deepening the Church’s understanding of global mission—fostering collaboration, interculturality, and spiritual renewal for a world in need of hope.